Nail-packing machine.



J. S. PHIFER.

NAIL PACKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.19, 1912.

Patented May 12, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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-WlTN-ESSES INVENTOR COLUMBIA FLA-30mm CO..WASHINUTON. D. c.

J. S. PHIPER.

- NAIL PACKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 19, 1912.

1,096,641.. Patented May 12, 1914.

4 SHBETSSHEET 2.

INVENTOR V WMa hww WITNESSES COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPM c0.. WASHINGTON. D. c.

J. S. PHIFER.

NAIL PACKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 19, 1912.

1,096,641. Patented May 12, 1914 4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITNESSES INVENTOH gwzaw \OLUMIIIA vLANmm/mn co vusmmTow. n1.

J. S. PHIFER.

N AIL PACKING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV.19, 1912.

1,096,641. Patented May12,1914.

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WITNESSES INVENTOR COLUMBIA PLANocmArn cu, wAs c.

nnrfrnn STATEPATENT OFFIQE- JAMES STUART PHIFER, OF ALLENTOWN,PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN STEEL & WIRE COMPANY OF NE'WJERSEY, 0F HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY;

NAIL-PACKING MACHINE.

Patented May 12, 1914.

Serial No. 732,281.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES STUART Pnrrnn, a citizen of the United States,and resident of Allentown, in the county of Lehigh and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Nail-Packing Machine, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to apparatus for packaging nails, and moreparticularly relates to the construction and arrangement of apparatus bythe use of which quantities of nails in bulk are distributed and aredeposited in parallel rows within a carton or other container so as toform a compact package. 1

One object of this invention is to provide a nail packing machine ofsimple and durable construction having novel means whereby nails placedthereon in bulk are separated and arranged in lengthwise parallelrelation and are delivered in such lengthwise relation into cartons orother containers in which the nails are packaged.

Another object of the invention is to provide a nail packing machine bywhich nails of various sizes and kinds are mechanically fed from thehopper or chute inwhich they are deposited in bulk to the distributingtable and are then caused to traverse the distributing table and assumea relative lengthwise parallel alinement in traversing the table fromwhich they are discharged while in alinement.

Still further objects of my invention will appear hereinafter as theinvention is more fully described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings forming part of this specification Figure 1 isa side elevation showing a nail packing machine constructed and arrangedin accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan of the apparatus shownin Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the nail packing machineillustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 is a detail plan showing theconstruction of the delivery end of the nail packing machine. Fig. 5 isa sectional side elevation of the delivery end of the machine showingthe manner in which the nails are packed in cartons or boxes. Fig. 6 isa detail end elevation showing a portion of the delivery end of theseparating table forming part of my improved nail packing machine. Fig.

7 is a detail perspective view showing the construction of the tunnelsemployed in packing the nails, in the carton or container fillingoperations. Fig. 8 is a sectional side elevation showing a detail of theconstruction of the discharge end of the inclined nail receiving hopperor chute which receives the nails in bulk.

In the accompanying drawings the nu meral 2 designates the frame of thenail packing machine, having vertical standards 33 on each side thereofto secure or support the apparatus upon a suitable base or foundation.Mounted between the standards 3-3 on opposite sides of the frame is alengthwise reciprocating or vibrating distributing table 4-. which isinclined at an angle to the horizontal with its discharge end lowermost,this table having a series of corrugations or grooves 5 which extendlengthwise parallel from end to end of the table and a series ofupwardly projecting pins 6(S are positioned at intervals betweenadjacent grooves 5, which serve to engage with and cause any nailsmoving across the table in a lengthwise angular position relative to thelength of the grooves 5 (as shown for example by the nail 7 in Fig. 2)to gradually turn until such nails are moved into a position lengthwiseparallel with the length of the grooves 5. Links or arms 8 and 9 areemployed on each side of the table t to secure the table to the frame 2,the upper ends of the arms 8 and 9 being pivotally connected to lugs orcars 1010 on the table 41. and the lower ends of these arms beingpivoted to bearings 11 secured on the frame 2.

Located above the distributing table 1, with its discharge endoverlapping the rear end of the table, is an angularly adjustabletilting chute or hopper 12, the lowermost or discharge end of thishopper being supported by a U-strap 13 pivotally connected by its bentends to the upper ends of the rear pair of standards 3. The swingingrear end of the angularly adjustable or tilting hopper 12 also issupported by a U-strap 14:, the bent ends 15 oi which are pivotallysecured to the ends 16 of the bent levers 17-17 and the levers 17, whichare pivoted at an intermediate point in their length to a bracket 18fastened to the upper ends of the rear pair of standards 3, arepivotally connected to a swivel nut 19 having an internally threadedopening therein through which the hopper adjusting screw 20 extends. Thelower end of this adjusting screw is rotatably secured to a bracket 21which extends between and is fastened to the upper ends of the frontpair of stand ards 3 and a hand wheel 22 is provided on the lower end ofthe screw 20 to turn the screw in tilting or adjusting the nailreceiving hopper 12.

The lower or discharge end of the tilting hopper 12 is provided with areciprocating slide 23 which moves angularly therewith and has a seriesof serrations 2a in its upper surface extending lengthwise across thewidth of the slide 23 as will be clearly seen in Fig. 8. The dischargeend of the hopper 12 overlaps the inner edge of the reciprocating slide23 at all times and the slide 23 is pivotally connected to one end ofthe links 2525, the other end of these links being pivoted to the sides26 of the distributing table 4: which extend upwardly above the topsurface of this table, in this way the slide 23 being caused toreciprocate with the separating table a when the nail packing machine isin operation.

The front or discharge end of the reciprocating or vibrating table it isprovided with a step or shelf 27 having a fixed side wall 28 and anadjustable side wall 29, ex tensions 30 to the marginal sides 26 of thedistributing table 4'. forming the end walls of the shelf. Slots 31 inthe end walls 30 of the shelf provide a convenient means for securingthe movable side wall 29 in adjusted position, the bolts 32 extendingthrough the slots, the side walls 29 being made adjustable to enablecartons or containers of different widths being employed, at differenttimes, in packaging nails of various sizes.

Pivotally secured on a rod 33 which extends from one side 12 to theother above the upper face of the table at is a series of links 34,these links, which have a bent end 35, being arranged to swing or turnon the rod 33 to move the bent end 35 of each link into one of thegrooves 5 in the upper surface of the distributing table 4. A second rod36 provides a convenient means for holding the links 34 in their raisedposition as shown in Fig. 5, the position of the links with the end 35turned downwardly into the groove 5 also being shown in dotted lines inthis figure of the drawings.

The side wall 29 of the shelf 27 is adjusted to suit the particular sizeof nails being packaged and heavy cardboard cartons 37 are then placedin position on the shelf as is illustrated in Figs. 1, 4L and Funnels 38are removably placed Within the upper portion of the cartons 37, thesefunnels being constructed with an outwardly flaring upper end 39 andwith a central partition 10, the partition being made longer than thefunnel :3 8 so as to extend downwardly into proximity to the bottom ofthe cardboard cartons 37, in this way the partition forming relativelynarrow openings through which the nails are caused to pass as they dropthrough the funnel into the cartons. As the width of the funnel betweenthe partition and the ends of the funnel is less than the length of thenails being packaged, the nails are caused to drop into the cartons 37in the lengthwise parallel relation they are caused to assume in passingover the distributing table. 7

ltlounted in suitable bearings 41, which are secured on the frame 2beneath the table at, is rotary shaft 42 having on one end thereof afast pulley 43 and loose pulley 44:, and also secured on the shaft 4-2are the eccentrics as by which the distributing table 4 is caused toreciprocate or vibrate. A connecting rod #26 is adjust-ably secured byone end to each eccentric 45, a am nut 4C7 locking the rods to inadjusted position, and the other ends of the connecting rods 46 arepivotally connected each to a wrist-pin 48, in this way o-perativelyconnecting the driving shaft 42 to the distributing table 4-. Thewrist-pins 48 are adj ustably secured in slots 49 in the rear pair ofarms 9 supporting the distributing table 4.- upon the frame 2 so as topermit the length of vibratory movement imparted to the distributingtable to be varied as is found necessary or desirable.

At the front end of the nail packing ma chine below the step 27supporting the cartons a hopper 50 is provided which collects any nailsspilled during the operation of the nail packing machine. A lever 51having a fork on one end'to embrace the driving belt 52 and having ahandle on its other end, is pivoted to the angle bracket 53 convenientlylocated on the side on one of the standards 3, this lever providingmeans for shifting the belt 52 leading from a suitable motor or motordriven line shaft to the pulleys on the shaft 42 by which the-shaft 4-2is driven, from the fast pulley 43 to the loose pulley 44, or viceversa, in stopping and starting the nail. packing machine.

In the operation of my improved nail packing machine the driving belt 52is shifted to the fast pulley 43 so as to drive the eccentric shaft 42.The wrist-pins 48 having been adjusted in the slots 49 to cause thedistributing table 4 to vibrate for the desired distance, a quantity ofnails to be distributed and packaged is then placed in a heap upon thetilting hopper 12. The hand Wheel 22 is then turned to tilt or adjustthe hopper 12 until at an angle reater than the angle of repose for thenai s, when a portion of the nails on the hopper are caused to slideforwardly to the reciprocating slide 23. The

serrations 24 in the upper surface of the reciprocating slide 23 thenengage With and cause the nails to travel forwardly to the discharge endof the slide 23 and then, at various points in its width, drop to thedistributing table. The reciprocating distributing table, the uppersurface of which is inclined with its discharge end lowermost, causesthe nails as delivered thereto by the reciproeatory slide 23 on thehopper 12 to enter one or another of the series of parallel grooves 5 inthe upper surface of the table 4 and gradually move lengthwise towardthe discharge end thereof. Such nails as become positioned on thedistributing table 1 so as to extend lengthwise angularly to the lengthof the grooves will during their passage across the length of the table,engage with one or another of the pins 6 projecting above the surface ofthe table and by engagement with such pin will be caused to turn on theupper surface of the table until in a lengthwise position parallel withthe length of the grooves and finally caused to enter one or another ofthe grooves 5. The nails which traverse the distributing table 4 arecaused to first assume lengthwise parallel positions and finally aredischarged lengthwise from the table into one or another of the cartons87 positioned in the nail receiving pockets formed on the shelf 27 atthe discharge end of the table a and are delivered into the cartons inlengthwise parallel relation so as to in this way form a compact packagein which a given quantity of nails requires very much less space thanwhen placed therein promiscuously. \Vhen a carton or series of cartonshas been filled with nails the fingers 34, or such of them as arerequired, are turned from the positionshown in full lines in Fig. 5 intothat shown by dotted lines in this figure, so that the bent enc 35 0fthe turned fingers 34: each enters the groove 5 immediately belowit andstops further progress of nails in such groove. The reciprocat-orymovement of the distributing table meanwhile continues so that the nailseparating operations are not interrupted. The funnels 38 are thenremoved from the filled cartons and the cartons are then removed andreplaced with empty ones. The fingers 3 1 or such of them as are turneddownwardly are then again lifted and the carton filling operations areimmediately resumed and continued until the new cartons are filled. Thetilting hopper 12 is tilted from time to time by the operator throughthe medium of the hand wheel 22 as is required to keep theserrated slide28 supplied with nails, the nails sliding from the hopper 12 by gravity,and the above described operations are continued as long as desired,additional quantities of nails in bulk being placed on the hopper 12 toalways maintain a supply of nails thereon.

The advantages of my invention will be apparent to those skilled in theart. The tilting hopper provides a convenient and readily operated meansfor receiving the nails in bulk and delivering them as required. Theserrated slide on the discharge end of this hopper affords a simplemeans for removing the nails from the hopper to the distributing table,while the reciprocatory distributing table arranges the nails whiletraversing the length of the table in lengthwise parallel position intothe receiver, and in this way compact packages of nails are formed bymechanical means with a minimum amount of manual labor. A singleattendant can operate two or more of the machines and the cost ofpackaging the nails is reduced, while the nails are assembled within thecartons in the most convenient manner for removing singly or in groupswhen being used.

Various modifications in the construction and arrangement of the partswhich may be made without departing from my invention as defined in theclaims will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

1. A nail packing machine comprising in combination a lengthwiseinclined, vib "atory distributing table having lengthwise parallelgrooves in the upper surface thereof, an inclined hopper or chute at therear end of the table arranged to receive nails in bulk for delivery tosaid distributing table, means for vibrating the distributing table, andmeans for tilting said hopper or chute at an angle to the horizontal todischarge nails thereon upon the rear end of said distributing table.

2. A nail packing machine comprising in combination a lengthwiseinclined, vibratory distributing table having lengthwise parallelgrooves in the upper surface thereof, means for receiving in lengthwiseparallel relation nails discharged from the delivery end of said table,an inclined hopper or chute at the rear end of the table arranged toreceive nails in bulk for delivery to said distributing table, means forvibrating the distributing table, and means for tilting said hopper orchute at an angle to the horizontal to discharge nails thereon upon therear end of said distributing table.

3. A nail packing machine comprising in combination a lengthwiseinclined, vibratory distributing table having a grooved upper surface,means for vibrating said table to cause nails thereon to move to thedischarge end thereof, an angularly adjustable inclined chute or hopperto receive nails to be distributed on the distributing table, a reeiprocatory plate at the discharge end of said hopper whereby nailsdischarged thereon are delivered to said table, and means for incliningsaid chute or hopper at an angle to the horizontal to discharge nailsthereon upon said distributing table.

4. A nail packing machine comprising in combination a lengthwiseinclined vibratory distributing table having a grooved upper surface, anangularly adjustable chute or hopper arranged to receive nails in bulkfor delivery to the distributing table, a reciprocating plate at thedischarge end of said hopper having a serrated upper surface wherebynails delivered thereon from the hopper or chute are discharged upon thedistributing table, means for vibrating said table to cause nailsdeposited thereon to move to the discharge end thereof, means forinclining said chute or hopper to deliver nails thereon to saidreciprocating plate, and means on the lower end of the distributingtable into which the nails are discharged lengthwise from saiddistributing table.

5. A nail packing machine comprising in combination a lengthwiseinclined vibratory distributing table having a series of lengthwiseparallel grooves in the upper surface thereof, means for vibrating saidtable to cause nails thereon to move to the discharge end thereof, anangularly adjustable chute or hopper at the rear of said distributingtable to receive nails for delivery to the distributing table, vibratorymeans at the discharge end of said hopper whereby the nails receivedfrom the hopper are discharged upon said table, means for inclining saidchute or hopper at an angle to the horizontal to discharge nails thereonupon said reciprocatory means, means on the lower end of thedistributing table into which the nails are discharged lengthwise, andmeans for regulatin the vibrator movement of said table. b .1

6. In a nail packing machine the combination with a vibratorydistributing table having a series of lengthwise parallel groovesextending lengthwise on the upper surface thereof, and means on thelower end of said table into which the nails are discharged lengthwise,of an adjustable hopper arranged to receive nails in bulk, and a platehaving a notched upper surface arranged to discharge nails depositedthereon from the hopper upon said distributing table.

7. In a nail packing machine the con1bina tion with a reciprocatingdistributing table having a series of lengthwise parallel groovesextending lengthwise on the upper surface thereof, and means on thelower end of said table into which the nails are discharged lengthwise,of an inclined hopper angularly adjusted to a horizontal plane andarranged to receive nails in bulk, a reciprocating plate having aserrated upper surface arranged to discharge nails deposited there onfrom the hopper upon said distributing table, and means connecting saidplate and table whereby the plate is reciprocated in unison with saidtable.

8. In a nail packing machine the combination with a vibratorydistributing table having a series of lengthwise parallel grooves on theupper surface thereof, and means on the lower end of said table intowhich the nails discharged lengthwise, of an angularly adjust-ablehopper at the rear end of said table to receive nails in bulk, avibratory notched plate arranged to deliver nails discharged thereon bysaid hopper upon said distributing table, said plate having a serratedupper surface, means for vibrating said table, and means connecting theplate and distributing table to cause movement of said plate in unisonwith said table.

111 testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

JAMES STUART PHIFER.

Witnesses JOHN I. BAKER, HARRY R. BRADER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Eatents, Washington, D. C.

